Osteospermum plant named ‘KLEOE05524’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘KLEOE05524’, characterized by its upright and compact plant habit; freely branching growth habit; early and freely flowering habit; and large daisy-type inflorescences with bright yellow-colored ray florets.

Botanical designation: Osteospermum ecklonis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KLEOE05524’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofOsteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘KLEOE05524’.

The new Osteospermum is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Stuttgart, Germany. The objective of theprogram is to create and develop new compact Osteospermum cultivars withfreely branching and uniformly mounded plant habit, early and freelyflowering habit and attractive inflorescence coloration.

The new Osteospermum originated from an open-pollination by the Inventorin 2002 of an unnamed proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selectionof Osteospermum ecklonis as the male, or pollen, parent. The newOsteospermum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in acontrolled environment in Stuttgart, Germany in April, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Stuttgart, Germany since May, 2003, has shownthat the unique features of this new Osteospermum are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar KLEOE05524 has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘KLEOE05524’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘KLEOE05524’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofOsteospermum:

-   -   1. Upright and compact plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching growth habit.    -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large daisy-type inflorescences with bright yellow-colored        ray florets.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Stuttgart, Germany, plants ofthe new Osteospermum differ from plants of the female parent selectionin the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum are more compact and uniform        than plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Osteospermum and the female parent        selection differ in ray floret coloration.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of theOsteospermum cultivar FP Sunrise, not patented. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Stuttgart, Germany, plants of the newOsteospermum differed from plants of the cultivar FP Sunrise in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum had smaller leaves than plants        of the cultivar FP Sunrise.    -   2. Plants of the new Osteospermum and the cultivar FP Sunrise        differed in ray floret coloration as plants of the cultivar FP        Sunrise had lighter yellow-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Osteospermum. This photograph shows the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Osteospermum. The photograph comprises a close-up viewof typical flowering plants of ‘KLEOE05524’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementionedphotograph, following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown in Stuttgart, Germany during the summer in an outdoor nursery andunder conditions and practices which approximate those generally used incommercial Osteospermum production. During the production of the plants,day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 20° C. and night ranged from 10°C. to 15° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages fortypical flowering plants. Plants were about six months old when thephotograph and description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar KLEOE05524.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Osteospermum ecklonis, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Osteospermum            ecklonis, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at 25° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at 18° C. to            20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About three to            four weeks at 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About four to five            weeks at 18° C. to 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Upright and compact plant habit.            Inflorescences positioned well above the foliar plane.            Moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 33 cm to 40 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 30 cm to 45 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: Freely branching,            about four to six lateral branches per plant. Length: About            40 cm to 44 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Internode length:            About 0.5 cm to 2 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent.            Color: 144B flushed with 176A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 7 cm. Width: About 2 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Acute.            Base: Acute. Margin: Crenate. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Sparsely pubescent. Venation pattern: Pinnate.            Color: Developing foliage, upper and lower surfaces: 144A.            Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 146A; venation, 144C.            Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 146B; venation, 144C.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with            obovate-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences positioned above            the foliage, arising from leaf axils. Disc and ray florets            developing acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences face            mostly upright. Freely flowering habit; about 90            inflorescences develop over time per plant. Inflorescences            persistent. Inflorescences not fragrant.        -   Flowering response.—In Germany, plants of the new            Osteospermum flower recurrently to continuously from spring            to autumn. Early flowering habit, plants being flowering            about 10 to 16 weeks after planting. Inflorescences last            about five to ten days on the plant.        -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About            8 mm. Shape: ovate. Color: 144A.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 5 cm. Depth (height):            About 2 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.2 cm. Receptacle            diameter: About 1.2 cm. Receptacle height: About 1 cm.        -   Ray florets.—Shape: Obovate. Length: About 2 cm. Width:            About 1 cm. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Orientation: Upright.            Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About 17 to 20 in a            single whorl. Color: When opening, upper surface: 14A. When            opening, lower surface: 14A; longitudinal stripes, 184A.            Fully opened, upper surfaces: 14A; towards the base, 12A.            Fully opened, lower surface: 14A; longitudinal stripes,            184A.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate, five-pointed.            Length: About 5 mm. Diameter, apex: About 2 mm. Diameter,            base: Less than 1 mm. Number of disc florets per            inflorescence: About 30 to 34. Color: Immature: 9B. Mature:            Apex: 9B. Mid-section: 15D. Base: 150D.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 19. Length:            About 1.2 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:            Acuminate. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface:            Pubescent, rough. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 146D.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 12 cm to 15 cm. Diameter: About            2 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture:            Pubescence; rough. Color: 146D.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther            color: 93A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: 25A.            Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets. Pistil            length: About 2 mm. Stigma shape: Lanceolate. Stigma color:            145B. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 83A.        -   Seeds.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Color:            200A.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have not    been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Osteospermums.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about −5° C. to about    35° C.

1. A new and distinct Osteospermum plant named ‘KLEOE05524’ asillustrated and described.